what do you think is more important in marimba music (or any other music for that matter), musical playing or technical playing. Such as, would it be better to play a song beautifully with a couple missed notes, or mechanically and no missed notes?

Good question.

Some might say that you can't make beautiful music until you have mastered the techinque.

I tend to believe that technique is a means to expression of beautiful music. You can have great technique and have "flat" performances. You cannot have bad technique and have great performances.

I understand that in live performance there will always be missed notes... but great technique will certainly lower the chance for wrong notes or awkward musical phrases due to technical difficulties.

Finally...
"would it be better to play a song beautifully with a couple missed notes....."
How can missing a few notes equal beautiful music? This seems like a discussion we only have in the marimba world, especially when speaking about recordings. I highly doubt that someone listening to a professional violin CD would say "it was just so beautiful that I can excuse all those missed notes." You expect a professional violinist who is putting out a recording to not miss notes AND play musically (imagine that!?) this same standard should be applied to marimbists and their recordings.

So far, in my relatively limited experience in the musical world, audiences don't notice if you miss a note or two during a live performance. They do notice if you are playing well within your comfort zone, as the performance lacks some energy. When I prepare a piece, I am always able to play it straight down consistently before the performance without missing a note--in the practice room. There really is no practice for live performance except doing it. As my teacher is frequently telling me, when you walk onto that stage, it's time to let it out and light up that audience. Good technique helps to overcome nerves, but I've never yet had a performance where something wasn't different from rehearsal/practice. This is OK, and is part of what makes performing fun. However, if all somebody worries about is notes, then they will be a good player and probably a good musician, and will also probably leave their best performances in the practice room. On stage, it's time quit thinking, and play.

Does this answer the question? Probably not. But I've never walked away from a Virtual Max performance, or David Hall, or Evelyn Glennie thinking "that would have been awesome except for those few wrong notes." (Not that they screw up frequently) I have left knowing that what they do is something I can aspire to.

Technique only has a purpose and a function in service to the music. Technique is the tool used to express your vision of the music. Whatever you play reflects this vision, which is wht others want to hear. good luck.

for some reason ... i cannot post a "new" message... so i am using this one to let people know that in ocean grove NJ real soon are going to be 4 hoppiN concerts...
sh-e-wu on the 3rd of june
LHS on the 5th
michael burrit on the 10th
and gordon stout on the 19th
mostlymarimba.com should get a mailing list. it was pure coincidence that i happened to look. i thought i would pass the info on...

Definitely musical playing. My sister and I both play piano and we can play some of the same pieces. If you listen to us, my sister is the technical player and I am the musical player, I put my emotions in the music while she concentrates on hitting the right notes and playing the piece exactly how it was written. I treat dynamics as a loose guide when I'm playing a solo.

If a piece is played with no missed notes and is technically correct in every way but has no emotion in it, I will not appreciate the performance as much as I would one with a few missed notes (because everyone misses notes every now and then) but with as much emotion as possible.

i agree that musicality is more important, but notice that all the really musical players also have great technique. I think having great technique will allow you more musical freedom.

I would always rather have phrasing, breath, and relaxation in a piece rather than none at all. And I couldn't care less if someone plays wrong notes. Obviously a piece should be played as accurately as possible, but right notes do not inspire me, sincere phrasing and energy inspire me.

I don't think that you can split music into musical and technical playing, instead I think there is musical and non-musical playing.